The Sri Lankan Government's ‘Urumaya (heritage or inheritance)’ programme, aimed at providing freehold land titles to two million farmers and individuals utilising lands on permits and conditional grants, has sparked both hope and concern among stakeholders. "President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe's vision of empowering farmers through land ownership takes shape as the Government announces plans to grant freehold titles to two million families. This initiative aims to address long-standing concerns regarding land rights in rural Sri Lanka," a statement from the President's Media Division (PMD) said.
While the initiative promises to empower farmers and secure their land rights, there are potential risks and challenges that must be addressed to ensure equitable and sustainable outcomes.
The provision of freehold land titles to farmers can inadvertently violate the land rights of smallholder farmers, exacerbate poverty and indebtedness, and facilitate large-scale land grabbing. There are, however, potential strategies and interventions to mitigate these negative impacts and promote inclusive and sustainable land reform in Sri Lanka.
It is hence necessary to understand the complexities surrounding land tenure security and rural development in the country.
Providing full land ownership or titles to farmers in Sri Lanka could potentially increase landlessness, poverty, and indebtedness among small farmers for several reasons.
Land consolidation
In some cases, full land ownership might lead to land consolidation, where larger landowners purchase smaller plots from marginalised farmers who are in need of immediate cash. This process can result in the displacement of smallholder farmers from their land and exacerbate landlessness.
Land market dynamics
Full land ownership may subject small farmers to the pressures of the land market, where they could face difficulties in competing with larger, wealthier entities. This could lead to the sale of land due to financial distress or the inability to sustainably manage the land, thus further contributing to landlessness.
Indebtedness
According to a recent editorial published in a State-run daily newspaper titled ‘A new dawn for millions’: "In the past, these persons could not obtain bank loans as they did not have a proper deed for their lands and they could not sell even a small piece of their land. So far, various deeds have been given by previous Governments. For example, ‘Swarnabhoomi’ and ‘Jayabhoomi’ deeds have been provided for lands developed on permits over a period under the provisions of the Land Development Ordinance, No. 19 of 1935. But, there was no market price for such lands which were actually owned by the Government. Such deeds which are a type of permit in reality can be called `bogus deeds’ because the lands still belonged to the State and the deed holders just used those lands for agricultural activities and to build small houses. They were not `free hold’ deeds in the true sense of the word. The burning issue faced by those people who have Swarnabhoomi and Jayabhoomi deeds is the inability to obtain bank loans from State or private banks by keeping them as collateral. This is because those lands belong to the State and cannot be auctioned in case of a loan default." Now however, smallholder farmers may use their land as collateral for loans or credit as the last resort, especially in situations where they lack access to other forms of financial resources. Full land ownership could increase the risk of indebtedness if farmers are unable to repay loans, leading to the potential loss of land through foreclosure or forced sales.
Limited access to resources
While land ownership provides security and control over land, it does not necessarily address underlying issues such as access to resources like credit, technology, and markets. Smallholder farmers may continue to struggle with poverty and a lack of access to resources even with full land ownership, particularly if they are unable to invest in productivity enhancing inputs or access to markets.
Inequitable distribution
The distribution of land titles may not always be equitable, with certain groups or individuals with influence having better access to land rights than others. This can worsen existing inequalities within rural communities and contribute to social tensions and conflicts over land tenure rights.
Env. degradation
Unregulated land ownership could lead to unsustainable land use practices, such as deforestation, soil degradation, or the overexploitation of natural resources such as rainforests. This can have detrimental long-term effects on the environment and agricultural productivity, further worsening poverty among smallholder farmers.
Overall, while land ownership can provide security and empower smallholder farmers, it is essential to consider the broader socio-economic context and potential implications for land distribution, market dynamics, and access to resources.
Mitigating the potential negative impacts of providing full land ownership or titles to farmers in Sri Lanka sustainably requires a multi-dimensional approach that addresses underlying socio-economic, legal, and environmental factors.
Comprehensive land reform
Instead of an ad-hoc programme, comprehensive land reform policies that prioritise the equitable and just distribution of land, the protection of land rights for marginalised groups (such as females, youth and indigenous communities), and mechanisms for resolving land disputes fairly and transparently, should be implemented.
Supportive legal frameworks
Strengthen legal frameworks to ensure secure land tenure and the protection of land rights of smallholder farmers (this may include establishing clear and accessible processes for land registration and titling, as well as mechanisms for addressing land related grievances and conflicts) and create an enabling policy and legal environment to implement the United National Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP).
The promotion of agro-ecology
Encourage regenerative farming practices, such as agro-ecology, that prioritise ecological resilience, biodiversity conservation, and community based natural resource management. Provide technical support, training, and resources to smallholder farmers to adopt agro-ecological principles and improve land productivity sustainably.
Access to financial services
Expand access to affordable and secure credit, savings, and insurance services for smallholder farmers to reduce their vulnerability to indebtedness and financial risks. Develop innovative financial products tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers, such as microcredit schemes through cooperative and Government banks, crop insurance, and savings and loan associations, and the provision of financial and technical assistance to capacity building.
Investment in rural infrastructure
Improve rural infrastructure, including roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities, and market access, to enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, increase resilience to climate impacts and increase farmers' access and ownership to markets and value chains. Prioritise investments in infrastructure that benefit smallholder farmers and promote inclusive and ecological rural development.
Capacity building and extension services
Strengthen agricultural extension services and farmer training programmes to build farmers' capacity in sustainable land management, crop diversification, climate resilient agriculture, and value added processing through innovation and the introduction of affordable and appropriate technology. Enhance knowledge sharing networks and farmer to farmer extension approaches to promote peer learning and innovation.
Community participation and empowerment
Encourage and ensure inclusive decision-making processes that involve smallholder farmers, farmer organisations, local communities, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in land governance and natural resource management. Empower communities to assert their rights, advocate for their interests, and participate in land use planning and decision-making processes.
Env. conservation and sustainable land use planning
Integrate environmental conservation objectives and principles of sustainable land use planning and agro-forestry concepts into land reform and agricultural development strategies. Protect ecologically sensitive areas, promote reforestation and soil conservation measures, and incentivise sustainable land management practices that enhance biodiversity through policy incentives and market mechanisms.
Monitoring and evaluation
Establish robust and inclusive monitoring and evaluation systems to track the implementation and impact of land reform initiatives, including their effects on smallholder farmers' livelihoods, land tenure security, environmental sustainability, and social equity. Use evidence based data and feedback related mechanisms with the participation of smallholder farmers to inform policy decisions and adaptive management approaches.
Partnerships and collaboration
Foster collaboration between farmer organisations, producer cooperatives, Government agencies, civil society organisations, the academia, and a responsible private sector to mobilise resources, share expertise, and coordinate efforts towards achieving sustainable land reform and rural development goals. Build partnerships that leverage complementary strengths and resources to address complex challenges holistically.
By adopting a holistic and inclusive approach that addresses the socio-economic, legal, and environmental dimensions of land reform and rural development, Sri Lanka can mitigate the potential negative impacts of providing full land ownership to farmers while promoting inclusive and sustainable rural development for the long-term.
(The writer is part of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform - MONLAR)
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.